Imaging devices are widely used for different applications. For example, a small form factor camera can be integrated with a portable or mobile device. Such an imaging device is used for day-to-day tasks including capturing still images and videos.
In addition, imaging devices provide a wide range of capabilities. These capabilities include monoscopic and stereoscopic imagery. Generally, a capability of an imaging device depends on its optical sensor(s). For example, to generate a three-hundred sixty degree monoscopic field of view image, an imaging device includes a plurality of optical sensors. These optical sensors are disposed to point in different directions such that at least a three-hundred sixty degree field of view is covered. In another example, to generate a one-hundred eighty degree stereoscopic field of view image, an imaging device also includes a plurality of optical sensors. In this example, the optical sensors are disposed to point in a same direction such that image data of an object is captured along the same direction at different focal depths.
However, no existing imaging device provides a capability of switching between monoscopic and stereoscopic imagery that uses multiple optical sensors. For instance, existing imaging devices do not switch from n a three hundred sixty degree monoscopic field of view to a one-hundred eighty degree stereoscopic field of view, and vice versa.